Presentation of Consent Judgment Containing False Information
Adopted: April 14, 2000
Opinion rules that a lawyer may not participate in the presentation of a consent judgment to a court if the lawyer knows that the consent judgment is based upon false information.
Inquiry:
Attorney represents Husband in an action filed by Wife for child support and other relief. The parties entered into a consent order giving Wife custody of the minor child, with Husband paying child support.
Sometime thereafter, Husband moved out of state and changed employment. Husband informed Attorney that his income was substantially reduced and he wanted Attorney to file a motion to modify the child support obligation. Attorney filed a motion seeking to reduce the child support obligation. Opposing counsel offered Attorney an opportunity to resolve the matter by consent, but required documentation of Husband's current wages. Attorney received a copy of Husband's current pay stub, which included income year to date, and forwarded it to Wife's attorney. Wife's attorney sent a proposed consent judgment to Attorney, which Attorney forwarded to Husband for his signature. Husband called Attorney and indicated he had signed the document. During the course of that conversation, Husband stated he had a tax attorney working on his tax returns. Husband further indicated his tax counsel was attempting to conceal other income, which Husband had received, but of which he had neglected to inform Attorney. Husband felt relieved that Wife had been misinformed as to his true income.
Attorney has now received the signed proposed consent judgment from Husband. It has not yet been signed by either attorney. Attorney believes Husband's deliberate misrepresentation of the true nature of his income is an attempt to perpetrate a fraud on the court. Thus far, Husband has not been asked under oath, either in a formal court proceeding or during discovery for this motion, to disclose his complete income.
What should Attorney do?
Opinion:
Attorney may not participate in presenting the consent judgment to the court if it is based upon false income information. See Rules 3.3(a)(1) and (a)(4). In the first instance, Attorney must try to persuade Husband to rectify the situation by disclosing his true income to the opposing party. Rule 3.3, cmt. [5]. If Husband refuses, Attorney must inform Husband he cannot participate in presenting false information to a court and must withdraw from the representation. Rule 3.3, cmt. [10]. Attorney should also inform Husband that if he presents the consent judgment on his own or through other counsel, Attorney has the discretion to make disclosure to the court or opposing counsel as necessary, because Husband used his services to perpetrate a fraud on the court. Rule 1.6(d)(5); see also Rule 3.3, cmt. [10].